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How can you not admire this tough and courageous six-year-old who gives it 100 per cent if not more each and every time he steps out. He looked gone when Victorian mare Steinem ranged up and joined him in the straight, but he refused to lay down and after being beautifully rated out in front by jockey Troy Turner he fought back to edge out the interstate raider and race favourite in the G2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes.
2-Lou Luciani.
Marocchino was the star attraction for the Hall Of Fame trainer, but stablemate and Playing God three-year-old, Goddess Of Giving, cracked her maiden status in style earlier when she stormed over the top of Sky Duke and Revitup in the Westspeed Platinum Sires Stakes. At her fifth start after three prior placings, Luciani describes her as a pretty smart filly. Luciani's team is humming and the fact he's producing winners when his training set up has been disrupted and impacted by the Bunbury Turf Club redevelopment cannot be underestimated.
It's been a year of transition for Grant and Alana Williams following the breakup of their partnership with prominent owner Bob Peters and losing grip on a heap of top liners, but they were back in familiar feature race territory again following the efforts of smart mare Alsephina. On the seven day back up and being tested in black-type company for the first time, the four-year-old let down strongly to win the Starstruck Classic by just under a length. She's an out-and-out winner with eight from 10 and she can add to that tally in the La Trice Classic in two weeks. Longer term, Grant Williams has not been shy in declaring her his Railway Stakes horse in 12-months' time.
The Luciani's, senior and junior, combined to win four of the nine races on the card. Like his dad later in the day, Dion Luciani trained a double, going race-to-race in the second and third events. Two-year-old Shell Bell gave a dominant front-running display to win the TBWA Westspeed Platinum Plate by 3 ¾ lengths, her first success after four attempts. Sockoff's winning margin was not as great, but no less authoritative after crossing to the lead from the 800m in the Epona Classic.
The daughter of Mahuta is low flying for brothers, Dan and Ben Pearce. Since kicking off her campaign at Pinjarra in August she's finished top two in seven outings for four wins. She appeared to be in a spot of trouble behind horses in the straight, but once balanced and fully wound up she burst through and savaged the line to win the Westspeed Platinum Cup comfortably. Unsure if she gains a start in the Perth Cup, if she did, it wouldn't surprise to see her give the race a big shake. She's a mare in the zone.
The champion jockey took out riding honours with a treble. He got off to a blinding start when he fired Shell Bell out of the gates like a bullet, had Halatorian positioned closer to the lead and gave Alsephina full reign from the 200m after tracking chief rival Treasured Star.
7-Halatorian
The Oratorio gelding had been the victim of some horror luck at his previous two races, but jumped cleanly to land leaders back from barrier 10 and shot clear in the straight to score by 3 ½ lengths in the TBWA Stallion Tender Scheme Trophy-and in super smart time.
